Structural joint



March 17, 1942. E. HATHORN 1 2,276,391

I I STRUCTURAL'JOIN'I' Filed April 6, 1940 'INVENTOR BY CHAQJLE-SiHATHODN.

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 1 7, 1942 2,276,391 STRUCTURAL JOINT Charles E.Hathorn, Kenmore, N. Y., asslgnor to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, acorporation of Delaware Application April 6, 1940, Serial No. 328,281

3 Claims.

.like where one of the members comprises a main support and the other anauxiliary element. In particular, the invention provides a convenientmeans for attaching aircraft ribs or fairing members to spars, where thefairing members are considerably. lighter than the spars and where it isdesired to have the open face of the fairing members as closely spacedas is consistent with strength to the face of the spar member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structural connectionin which no extraneous fittings need he used, the elements themselvesproviding the necessary structure for the joint.

The details of the invention will be appreciated in reading thedescription below in connection with the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a T member formed-according to the invention and showingits relationship to a support member the latter being shown in dottedlines;

Fig. 2 is a section taken through the fairing element;

Fig. 3 is a section taken through a fairing element of difierent form;and

Fig. 4 is a section taken through the main structural member which isshown as a tube.-

A rib or fairing element I is shown in the figures as a T sectioncomprising a web it and a flange l2. In a portion of the length of themember [0 which is desired to be joined to a crossing element such as alarge T member l3 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the web II is splitor slotted from its free edge nearly to the flange l2, and the webportions adjacent the slit l4 are bent down on opposite sides of theplane of symmetry of the member I0 so that the faces of the web lladjacent the slit it are parallel to the flange i2 to provide a flatseat to receive the flat flange of the member l3. Said flange isappropriately drilled to match drillings I5 formed in the bent portionsof the web ll so that the two members may be secured to one another byrivets or screws, rivets l 6 being shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Figs. 3, the flange I! of the member i0 is shown as having a groovel8 within which a fold of covering fabric I9 is inserted to be securedto the'member Ii by, a resilient flller strand 20.

In Fig. 4, the member II is fitted to a tubularsecured thereto by screws23. In Fig.- 4, the portions of the web ll adjacent to the slit H arebent to the same side of the normal plane of the web il, rather than toopposite sides of said plane as shown in Fig. -1.

Whether the web portions be bent to'opposite sides of the web plane orto the same side thereof, is a matter of choice depending on the natureof the structure with which the invention is intended to be used. I

Where elements such as I3 and 22 are structural members which lie closeto the external surface of a body, it is obvious that the fairing stripsor ribs such as l0 must be of small thickness where they are secured tostructure. Where such members III are T sections, they would ordinarilybe cut away so that the flange 12 of the member In could be secured tothe main structural member, such cutting involving careful dressing sothat good bearing is obtained-between the inside surface of the flangei2 and the structural member. However, by the use of this invention suchcareful preforming of the components is unnecessary since the cuttingand bending of the web II as described comprises a simple operation.Also, by the use of theinvention the member Ill sacrifices littlestrength, the sheer strength thereof at the edges of the structuralmember l3 being equal to the sheer strength in the unaltered regions ofthe member I 0, since no material is removed at this point. Thus, whenthe main portion of 'the member Ill acts as a beam supported at bothends by structural members, such beam will have full strength throughoutits length without dependence upon extraneous fittings or complexformation of the members involved.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferredembodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the'art, afterunderstanding my invention, that various changes and modifications maybe made therein without departing from the spirit or scopethereof. I aimin the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes. a

I claim as my invention:

1. In a structural joint, an elongated member comprising a flange and anintegral web extending normally from one side thereof, said web having atransverse cut extending from its free edge nearly to but notinterrupting the flange, the web portions adjacent said out beingoppositely bent and formed to comprise pads whose portions adjacent theout are flat, parallel and close to the member flange and whose portionsremote from the out are curved and blended into the web at points spacedfrom the cut, a second elongated member crossing the first member havinga substantially flat face engaging the flat portions of said pads, andmeans tosecure the fiat face of the second member to said pads.

2. In a structural joint, an elongated T member having its web partedfrom its free edge to, but not intersecting, the member flange, the webon opposite sides of the parting being bent to opposite sides of the webplane to comprise mounting pads tapering in width as the bend of the padextends from the web edge toward the member. flange, said bends beingcurved in profile as viewed from a point to one side of the web andblending into portions, adjacent the parting,

which are parallel to and closely adjacent the member flange.

3. Astructural joint comprising an elongated 1' member having its webslit from the free edge toward theflange, the web portions adjacent the,slit being oppositely bent to form a pad whose plane is substantiallynormal to the web plane and parallel to and closely spaced relative tothe flange plane, and a second elongated member crossing the firsthaving a flat portion seated on and secured to said pad, the bent webportions adjacent said pad and removed from the slit extendinglengthwise of the member and blending a ong a curved line into thenormal part CHARLES E. HATHORN.

